The Hardest Thing
by clarabranson
Summary: Clara Branson and Fred Weasley went backpacking in the Forbidden Forest and Clara blacked out asleep that night. The next morning she is horrified to find Fred gone and Severus Snape in the tent with her instead. Severus SnapexOC oneshot OOC Severus Snape


Small puffs of warm breath tickled Clara's exposed neckline. Subconsciously the girl moved closer to the body behind her. The heat that was radiating from the person's body not only relaxed Clara, it subdued her. Clara could lie like that for hours without moving, but she knew she had to get a move on with her day. There were things to do and people she had to see. Sighing, she started to move away from who she thought was Fred.

Grabbing his arm from her waist, Clara placed it back on his body. A thought crossed her mind, but she pushed it away effortlessly. Fred's arm was just heavier because he was in a dead sleep up here on the peaceful mountain. The blond-headed young adult sat up and rubbed her face with her hands like she did every morning she woke up. It became a force of habit.

Blond hair cascaded down her shoulders as she pulled her hair from the hair tie it was in. Clara glanced to her left and then to her right in search of her bag when she spotted it on the far side of the tent. Reaching over the sleeping man's legs, she lifted the bag over to her sleeping area. She stretched her arm into her bag in search of a specific item. A few seconds later and she had pulled out a leather case which contained her Victorian era brush set.

Ever so softly Clara dragged the bristles through her hair once it was out of the case. Her hair detangled effortlessly with each stroke. The person who was sleeping behind her started shifting as he woke from his slumber. Clara smiled to herself even though he couldn't see her face. It was a delight to know that he was there when she wanted him at her most desperate time of need.

"Good morning sweetheart," Clara whispered, careful to not be so loud that early.

The person didn't respond at all. Clara waited a few more seconds before she turned her head, brush mid-stroke in her head. Cupid and the wild life within earshot shuffled around from the scream that escaped her mouth. Snape was fully awake and in a complete state of confusion when the noise finally ended.

"What in the bloody hell do you think you were doing?! What were you thinking? How did you get in here? How did _I_ get in here? You are a creep!" Clara yanked the brush from her head and broke the handle from the power.

Her lips formed an "O" shape as she stared at the remains of her brush. Her most prized possession was now in pieces. Due to the magic on the set, they all turned to dust. Her mother had put a spell on it many years before to insure that Clara took care of her items. If the set was ever neglected or broken it would turn into a pile of dust so that she would never be able to use them again. Holding the dust in her hands she gasped. A small breeze came from the flap of the tent and sent the particles flying from her hands.

"Clara," Snape whispered.

"Get. Out!" she snarled, murder evident in her usually mesmerizing eyes.

Snape discarded the wool blankets to the side and grabbed his wand before he exited the tent like she had demanded. He figured he wasn't in the right to start an argument with her at that moment. Clara began to gather the dust frantically and poured as much as she could into the leather case. She snapped it shut, letting her hands rest on it for a few moments before shoving it back into her army back pack. She slid her hair back and rested her hands on her temples. Sighing, she put her hair into a sloppy bun and stood up.

Severus was staring into the fire's remnants when she came outside. His hair moved with the wind, playfully dancing around his distraught face. She didn't know who she should be madder at. Him for being in the tent with him with his arms around her, or herself for yelling at him like she did when it was her own fault that she broke her brush. Severus heard the snow crunch behind him, but didn't show any signs of wanting to face her.

"I'm terribly sorry Miss Branson," he apologized softly. "Would you kindly care to explain what the bloody hell happened?"

She shook her head in disbelief. "Well, _Professor_, I seemingly ended up back in the tent again last night with you in it! Not only that, but you decided it was appropriate to slip your arm around my waist. Quite incongruous if you ask me, your student."

Severus whipped around, his face the color of the snow. She raised her manicured eyebrow in response. Clara chuckled and moved closer to him, one menacing step at a time. Snape held his own ground as the girl, who was no taller than his shoulders, leaned up into his face.

"If you wish to keep living, this whole dilemma will stay a secret between you and I. Get it? Got it. Good." Clara backed away and turned her attention back to the tent that needed to be packed.

Snapes's lips curled into a snarl. He didn't allow anyone to talk to him that way. He didn't care if it was someone older than him, or a student for that matter. Without using any judgment at all he marched up to his student and grabbed her arm roughly. Spinning her around with all the strength he could muster, Snape's other hand grabbed her jaw, compelling Clara to look into his eyes.

"Listen here disgruntled brat, I'm not one of your peers or someone you call a friend. You will address me as your elder, nothing less. If you keep your little attitude you are going to find your ass on the train heading home as soon as we get to the castle. Don't EVER do that again! Get it? Got it. Good!" Snape repeated her last words and pushed her away making her stumble backwards.

Clara literally let out a grow as she ran up to him and jumped on his body. Snape's knees buckled from the surprise attack. They fell into the snow, rolling around trying to pin each other down as they fought for control of one another. Snape finally pulled his wand out of a hidden pocket from inside of his robes. Clara was slightly quicker than he was however. Clara stood up as fast as she could in order to beat him.

"Expelliarmus!" Clara shouted, leaving Snape wandless. "Accio wand!"

His wand flew into her open hand in one swift motion. Clara slipped the wood into the small of her back in her jean's waistband. There was no way he was going to reach under her jacket to get the tip of it. She wasn't playing around with him anymore. Clara was sick of the abuse of authority from him. At that point, she could care less if he expelled her. She was determined to get her point across to him in one way or the other. This was apparently the other of that statement.

"You have five seconds to return my property before I take action," Severus roared, clearly pissed off.

"Oh, what are you going to do? Expel me? Please do, you evil twit. I'd be happy to get away from you!" Clara shrugged her shoulders and turned around.

No sooner than the last word escaped her mouth did he have his arm around her neck, only putting the necessary amount of force on her. She tried with both hands to tug his arm away. He took the opportunity to lift her jacket and yank out his wand. He pointed his wand at her throat too.

"You dim-witted prat! How dare you-" he began to scorn into her ear.

"Severus, I swear if you don't let me go I am going to hurt you!" Clara threatened her headmaster.

"Petrificus Totalus," Snape said lazily, rolling his eyes.

Clara's body went absolutely rigid. She was stuck in the position standing like a solider, unmoving and attentive. Her arms were glued to her side and legs jammed together. There was nothing she could do except breath and watch him now. Snape let go of her body so that she began to fall forward. He stepped in front of her, preventing Clara from landing in the snow face down. His face was incredibly close to hers, their cheeks touching as he whispered into her ear.

"Now that I have your full attention, I want you to listen closely. You aren't going to kill me, or even hurt me for that matter. In fact, I doubt you could get a spell in on me. When I said at the beginning of this year that I would poison you or torture you to the brink of death I meant it. Please don't make me get to the point, because you are pushing me awfully close. Now, you are going to go get everything packed so we can leave."

Snape waved his wand, releasing any effect of the spell from her. Clara fell forward into his chest. Her breaths came in gasps as she regained her balanced. Severus walked away back to the fire he just started with his wand. She tucked herself into the tent, grabbed her bag, and exited all in a few seconds. In one wave of her wand, the tent folded itself and its contents inside.

Clara picked up the small bundle and slid in into her backpack. The chairs disappeared with a wave of her wand too. Everything in the camp was taken care of except one thing: the fire. Clara made her way to Cupid and grabbed the reins from the tree she had him tied to. She began to lead him down the mountain side. Just as they walked by the fire Clara pulled out her wand once again.

"Aguamenti," she whispered and directed the stream of water to the flames.

Snape turned away from the smoldering remains. "Well aren't you polite."

"Let's go," she growled.

The group went down the mountain in complete silence. Only noise came from the occasional snort from Cupid. Death glares were bounced back and forth between the non-speaking duo. It took them just over a half hour until the sight of the looming castle came up in the distance. Clara let out a sigh of relief. She could finally get away from him she thought to herself.

"Who are you telling?" he grunted.

"Did I speak to you?" she inquired and decided to answer for him. "I didn't think so."

"Has anyone ever told you how annoying you really are?" Snape snarled at her.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you are a prick?" Clara huffed.

"Oh, yes, let's act like children and bicker about who is worse," Severus shook his head, rolling his eyes.

"Says the one who started this argument," she informed her headmaster sarcastically.

"Do you ever shut up?" he asked bluntly.

"I don't know. How many times have we gone over this?" Clara stopped walking.

"Apparently not enough times," he faced her. "Can you let me have five minutes of silence?"

"What? A half an hour of it wasn't enough for you?" Clara sneered. "You know, it's a wonder how you got your job."

"It's a wonder why I let you in. I should have kicked you out as soon as you came into my office," he grumbled mainly to himself.

"Well, you didn't so get over it," she adjusted the bag on her back.

"Now I understand why Fred broke up with you," Snape snorted.

Clara's head snapped up to his direction. He admitted to himself that he probably went too far with that one. She dropped the reins in her hand to march up to him. There was more than anger in her green almond-shaped eyes. There was a hint of regret and underneath it all, she was truly upset. A twinge of guilt overcame Snape as he looked into her eyes.

"Excuse me?" she grunted.

"Clara, that was pr-" he started off.

A hard slap stopped Snape mid-sentence. There were tears brimming in her eyes. He shut his open mouth. He wasn't going to say anything about the red mark on his face. He knew he deserved it. She pulled her hand back again and just as it was going to make contact with his skin, he grabbed her by the wrist. Clara's other hand was wound up to deliver the smack instead, but he grabbed her other wrist too.

Glaring up at him, she had a blank expression on her face. Without thinking about what she was doing Clara leaned up on her tiptoes and placed her lips onto Severus's warm ones. It didn't take her longer than six seconds to realize what she was doing before she jumped back out of his grip. Both of their eyes were in competition with an owl for width. Their eyes were wide and their mouths both open. Their faces blanched with apprehension. What did I just do, she thought to herself.


End file.
